


(not) alone

by sanyoushi



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 12:19:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6610477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanyoushi/pseuds/sanyoushi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“ a nohrian former thief serving as leo's retainer. he grew up as an impoverished orphan. appears relaxed and mature, but flirts with everyone to see them react. does the most stargazing.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	(not) alone

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! this is really short, but I really wanted to do something about niles and his stargazing. sorry if it's not the best

_“ a nohrian former thief serving as leo's retainer. he grew up as an impoverished orphan. appears relaxed and mature, but flirts with everyone to see them react. does the most stargazing.”_

* * *

 

the one thing niles missed about his old life was the sky. the castle, with all its extravagance, would eat up the spectacular wonders of the night and spit out a cloudy mass of dullness. dull, dull, dullness; he hated it.

when he was certain his lord was tucked away and asleep, he would slip through those never-ending hallways and traverse the plains. between the trees, under the bridge, atop the hill. it was the perfect place to meet the stars. (well, it was about as perfect as was possible in the ghoulish terrain of nohr's capital).

the stars were good friends of his. they didn't talk. they didn't provoke. they just _were._  he didn't have to surround himself with the thick, coarse shell that he wore around others. he wasn't cruel or inappropriate or any of the masks he put on for the public. he just _was_. they was peaceful company, and peaceful company was hard to find.

one day he swore he could hear the patter of little feet behind him, and he might have looked back had the castle not been so dark. even when the moonlight began to lick his skin, he didn't dare to look behind him. he was positive that he was alone when he entered the woods, and if he wasn't, whoever had been lurking behind him certainly must have been deterred by the forest.

but when he was halfway through sloshing under the bridge a familiar (but tired) voice pinched his ears.

 _" niles_ , _where are you going?"_

he stopped and turned. prince leo had followed him all the way to the bridge. he felt a pang of guilt. how many times had the prince come looking for him just to find that he was gone?

_" why are you here, milord? it isn't safe."_

_" i just wanted to see where you were running off to."_

_" then i'll take you there, my prince."_  

an outstretched hand. 

_" okay."_

when they were sitting in the grass with their shoes kicked off, the prince turned to look at him. his lips didn't move, but niles knew what he wanted to ask 

_" i come here to look at the stars. it’s nice."_

leo stared for a moment, and then he looked up.

_" is it because you don’t have anyone? any friends or family, i mean. because you’re alone?"_

_" perhaps."_  

niles inched closer and extended his arm upwards to point. 

_" you’re familiar with constellations, aren’t you ?_

_" of  course._

a smile.

_" how foolish of me to ask, milord."_

soon, the lonely adventures became a tradition for two. leo would set down his books and clutch his lantern as he trailed behind his retainer to the hill that only they knew. they would lie there for hours, often without making a sound.

niles often wondered why leo continued to join him on those trips. stargazing never did strike him as the type of activity his liege would enjoy. maybe the serenity of the act had become contagious. for a boy who was not yet twenty, the prince had already experienced enough hardships for an entire lifetime, and hardships were something niles was _very_ familiar with.

but those nights were straining for the young lord. he hardly slept properly, always electing to trade slumber for his studies. niles knew this well and should have known that it would give leo an excuse to avoid his bed. sometimes a mess of blonde hair would find itself splayed over the outlaw’s lap, and pretty little eyes would close themselves as their owner nodded off to sleep.

and when it came time to return, niles would gently lift his liege and hold him close -- protectively. and after he would lay the prince on his soft mattress and dare to touch his lips to the top of that soft, sleepy forehead, he would slink out of the room and lock the door behind him. and he would leave feeling a little less alone.

 _perhaps_ , he thought,  the stars were not who he needed.

 

**Author's Note:**

> baby's first fic! hope you all liked it. comments & kudos are appreciated


End file.
